And adelbert phinney



(No Model.)

J. ERICSON 8u A. PHINNEY.

OIL DISTRIBUTER.

Patented Sept. '17, 1895.

imitan STATES Arana Orrrcn.

JOHN ERICSON, OF SABINE PASS, TEXAS, AND ADELBERT PHINNEY, OF EDGARTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

OIL-DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,485, dated September 17, 1895.

Application lerl January 9, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN ERICSON, residing at Sabine Pass, in the county of Jefferson and State of Texas, and ADELBERT PHINNEY, residing atEdgartown, in the county of Dukes and State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Oil-Distributer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oil-distributers, and it has for its object to provide a new and useful distributer of this character that shall provide simple and efficient means for positively calming the water adjacent to a ship in rough weather.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to construct a simple, cheap, and compact oil-distributer that occupies a comparatively small space, so that it can be easily stowed away when not in use and can be easily and readily launched over the side of the vessel and so manipulated as to insure an automatic feeding of the oil to the agitated waters.

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of an oil-distributer constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View on the line oc x of Fig. 2. Fig. -t is a longitudinal section of the distributor, showing the same in position as being towed atan oblique angle. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the distributer when in use and the vessel is hove-to. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing more clearly the construction of one of the oiloutlets of the distributer.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a tubular cigar-shaped iioat-body that is constructed of metal or other suitable material. By reason of its cigar shape the tubular ioat-body 1 is provided with the pointed extremities 2, and at one side of its center and adjacent to one of the point ends thereof the said tubular oat-body is pro- Serial No. 534,348. (No model.)

vided with a widened body portion 3. Arranged within the widened body portion 3 of the float-body l near one end thereof is a transverse partition 4, that separates or divides the interior of the float-body into separated air and oil chambers 5 and 6, respectively. The air-chamber 5 of the said floatbody is confined between the partition 4 and the' nearest point extremity of the said body, while the oil-chamber 6 occupies the remaining longest portion of the float-body at one side of the partition 4, and owing to the specific shape of the said float-body the air-chamber 5 may be said to be located at the front end of the tioat-body as it travels in the water while being towed from the vessel.

The tubular Heat-body l is provided on its -under side with a central longitudinally-disposed keel-tin 6, that is located on the bottom of the widened body portion of the Iioat-body and` serves to prevent the float-body from skimming sidewise on the water, and therefore serves to sheer the float-body away from the vessel when running, and suitably secured centrally on the bottom of the float-body in rear of the keel-fin 6iL is the longitudinallydisposed ballast-lead 7, that assists to properly hold the doat-body in the water and to submerge the same when desired. The said tubular float-body is further provided on opposite sides of the widened body portion 3 thereof with opposite offstanding curved side fins 8, which prevent the float-body from turning over in thepwater, and thereby hold the same in a properupright position to insure an automatic feeding of the oil to the water while the Heat-body is being towed,.and at opposite sides, directly under the side tins 8, the said float-body is further provided with the engaging-eyes 9, that are adapted to receive the hooks 10 of the tow-line 1l. The disposition of the engaging-eyes 9 provide for securing the line to the float-body at the proper angle for the towing of the distributer.

At a point intermediate of its ends the floatbody'l is provided on lthe under side thereof with the water-iniet opening l2, that communicates with the interior oil-chamber 6 and is disposed at an angle toward the rear end of the body, so that when the vessel is speeding and the float-body is being towed rapidly Y through the water the water will be forced through the said inlet-opening into the oilchambcr to provide for displacing the oil from said chamber and discharging the same through the oil-discharge openings 13, formed in the top of the float-body at spaced points and also communicating with the interioroilchamber 6. The openings 12 and 13 have projected therefrom cap-necks 14, that are adapted to receive thereon water-tight screwcaps 15, that provide for closing said openings when the distributer is not in use; but when the same is in use the said caps are removed and the caps for the openings 13 are replaced by perforated caps 1G, which are provided with sufliciently small holes or perforations to graduate the escape of oil according to requirements.

Then the float-body is placed in the water and the openings 12 and 13 uncovered in the manner rcferred to, it will be obvious that when the vessel is running before the wind and towing the distributer the same will be trailed through the water at substantially the angle shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, with the air-chamber located at the prow end of the distributor. In this position the water will be forced into the oil-chamber through the water-inlet opening 12 and will displace the oil, which will flow in graduated quantitics through the cap-inclosed oil-discharge openings 13, and thereby provide means for smoothing the water.

By reason of the specific shape of the distributor and the size of the oil-chamber confined therein, when the vessel is hove-to the oil-distributer will assume an upright position, such as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in this position the oil will escape through the oil-discharge openings 13 by reason of the light specific gravity of the oil as compared to the water that flows into the oilchamber G through the water-inlet opening 12. Vith the oil-distributer in Aits upright position and the vessel hove-to the said distributer will act somewhat in the capacity of a drag and will constantly distribute the oil to the Windward and away from the vcssel.

The air-chamber 5 at the front end of the oil-chamber serves several important functions, which are, to buoy up the forward end of the distributor in towing, to maintain the distributor in an upright position when the Vessel is hove-to, and to keep the distributor floating and prevent it from sinking when the oil is entirely displaced by water.

In addition to the cap-inelosed openings 12 and 13 the float-body is provided at its extreme rear or after end with a cap-inclosed oil-drain opening 17, that communicates with the interior oil-chamber at one extreme end thereof and provides convenient means for draining the oilechamber of the remaining oil therein when the distributor is suspended from the end of the jib-boom or from any other object on the outside of the vessel.

From the above it will be apparent that the herein-described oil-distributer is entirely automatic in its operations and adapted to positively operate under all conditions, whether the Vessel is running before the wind or is hove-to, and it will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

In an oil distributer, a tubular cigar-shaped float body provided near one end with a widened body portion, a transverse partition arranged within the widened body portion of the oat body to form separated air and oil chambers, the former of which is smaller than the latter and is located at the forward end of the float body whereby the latter will be ioated in an upright position when not boing trailed, said fioat body being provided at the bottom with a water inlet opening disposed at an angle whereby the water will be forced into the oil chamber when the float body is being trailed, and at the top with oil discharge openings, a central longitudinally disposed keel-pin fitted on the under side of the fioat body, and curved side-fins projected from opposite sides of the float body, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto aiiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ERICSON. ADELBERT IIHNNFY. Witnesses:

J. J. F. GILLILAND, DAvID D. KING.

TOO 

